4 Sarah Jane Adventures - Shapeshifter Chronicles: Nice Try
by lhigginns67
Summary: Can Stuart and Sarah Jane foil the shapeshifters for good? *This is the final installment in this series.*
1. One

Run.'

Sarah Jane headed for the door.

'Stuart, come on.'

'Go.'

'But-'

'Now!'

She bolted, leaving the front door swinging.

'Good evening, Miss Smith.'

She froze. Three shapeshifters surrounded her, blocking any means of escape.

'Sarah-'

She turned, as Stuart stumbled from the front door.

'Stuart!'

She hurried towards him, when-

'Surprise, Sidney.'

That all-too-familiar grin appeared.

'No.'

Three shapeshifters became four.

Sarah Jane stepped back, as the one before her advanced.

SPLASH!

The shapeshifter stopped, drenched in antifreeze.

'Stuart?'

He lowered the bucket.

The shapeshifter began to...crumble?

Instinctively, Stuart charged at the other three, who shied away.

'Get in the car!' he called over his shoulder.

Sarah Jane complied.

Stuart chucked the remaining contents at them, and jumped into the car.

'GO!'

He slammed his door shut, as the car flew out of the driveway.

They sat in a hole in the wall café, enveloped by the low hum of chat, along with cutlery scraping on crockery and the sound of the till.

Stuart browsed the menu, but Sarah Jane was on edge.

'Sorry it isn't more obscure. We'll get going in a bit.'

'Why here?'

Stuart looked up.

'I'm starving. And it's only up the road from Theodore's.'

Stuart glanced at a couple down the other end, who seemed to keep doing the same at him.

'What is it?'

Stuart glanced once more. Sarah Jane peeked.

'You don't think-'

'Maybe.'

A waiter approached them.

'Ready to order?'

Stuart looked at Sarah Jane.

'I'm sorry, we're just leaving,' he said, then stood up and made for the exit, motioning for Sarah Jane to follow.

They hurried out of the café, and down the road.

BOOM!

Flames and smoke erupted, sending glass and debris flying everywhere.

Stuart and Sarah Jane peeked.

Oh, God.


	2. Two

'Theodore? Theodore, open up, it's Stuart.'

Silence.

'Theo, it's all right. It _is_ me.'

Sarah Jane glanced at him.

Several locks clicked, and then the door opened. A tall forty something man with longish hair, appeared.

He sighed with relief.

'Bloody hell, Theodore,' Stuart said.

'I-I'm sorry,' he said. 'I, uh...'

'Could we come in, Theodore?' Sarah Jane asked.

His eyes darted.

He nodded meekly, opening the door wider to let them pass.

They entered, and he re-locked the door.

'You're not going to like this,' Stuart said. 'But we've got some trouble.'

Theodore looked at him.

'Shapeshifters.'

Theodore paled, feeling for support.

'Well, I-I-I-'

Sarah Jane stepped forward.

'It's all right, they're not-'

'Look, we want rid of them as much you did all those years ago, Theo.'

Theodore's eyes darted.

'A-Are they why I won't have a j-job to go to tomorrow?

Stuart and Sarah Jane exchanged glances - the bombing.

'Yes,' said Sarah Jane. 'I'm sorry.'

'Surely they'll c-come looking for you?'

Stuart sighed.

'If they do, we don't want to go on an empty stomach.'

Theodore looked at him.

'If it isn't too much trouble?'

The three of them sat at the kitchen table, a plate of food and glass of water each.

'I used antifreeze,' said Stuart, chewing. But I thought it would only stun them.'

'I-If only I'd known that, w-when she c-chased me t-that freezing winter night.'

Sarah Jane took a sip.

'She?'

Theodore looked at his plate, eyes darting.

'T-There was a river. She was c-catching up.'

'What was her name, Theodore?' Sarah Jane asked.

Theodore paused.

'An-An-Andrea.'

Sarah Jane and Stuart exchanged looks, then back at Theodore.

'What did you say happened to her - sorry, the shapeshifter?' Stuart asked.

'I-It slipped and fell. Into the river.'

'Then what?'

'It started...c-crumbling.'

Stuart sat back, looking at Sarah Jane, and shot her a smug grin.

'Antifreeze, it is, then.'

_Buzz. _

The three of them turned.

Stuart sighed.

'Only a matter of time.'

Theodore looked at him.

'I-I suppose I b-be-'

Sarah Jane looked at him.

'Theodore, you don't have to-'

'We'll keep behind you,' Stuart said. 'That way, if it is them, Sarah Jane and I can give them what for.'

'Are you sure?' Sarah Jane asked.

Stuart paused. He looked at Theodore.

'Trust me.'

Theodore glanced between them, and nodded meekly.

_Buzz_.

The three of them stood up, Theodore leading the way.

Stuart headed beside the front door, motioning Sarah Jane to join him.

The door opened.

'Afternoon, Mr Morris,' a male voice said. 'I'm DC Jennings, and this is DC Hanley...'

Nice try, thought Stuart.

'...a certain Stuart Milligan and Sarah Jane Smith were spotted entering this property. They're the main suspects in the Mason's café bombing which occurred earlier this afternoon. We have a war-'

'T-They've gone now,' Theodore replied, his mouth twitching.

'Let us in, please, Mr Morris.'

Theodore's eyes darted.

'They-'

SLICE!

Stuart and Sarah Jane shot round, and-

Oh, God.

Theodore hit the floor, as a long blade slid out from his throat.

The two shapeshifters advanced, hands morphing into blades.

Stuart glanced around. There must've been - aha! He bounded for the window, while Sarah Jane stepped back, reaching into her pocket.

'RUN!'

Sarah Jane aimed her sonic lipstick, and zapped. The shapeshifters momentarily became rigid, before easing up again.

'COME ON!'

She bolted out of the front door, and into the street - then into Stuart.

'THE BUS STOP!'

He peeked - the shapeshifters were close behind.

As they reached the bus stop, a red bus pulled up.

'Come on!' Stuart yelled.

He and Sarah Jane pushed past the others and hurried on. Fire extinguisher, Stuart thought. His eyes darted about - ah, behind the driver's cab!

SMASH!

'Everyone get down!'

Passengers - including Sarah Jane - scrambled to get under seats. The shapeshifter was closing in - it lunged - but Stuart dodged, and sprayed.

It screeched and fell to the floor.

'Stuart - above you!'

His head cocked up - he sprayed.

The shapeshifter didn't budge.

He sprayed again.

BASH!

Stuart hit the floor, the extinguisher clanging beside him.

The shapeshifter landed gracefully

on its feet.

Oh, God.

'Run for it!'

He and Sarah Jane bolted off the bus, and ran.

The officers reappeared, and started after them.

Stuart and Sarah Jane scrambled through the crowds of people - shoppers, commuters.

They puffed and panted, pushing themselves further and further along the footpath.

Stuart peeked - oh, God, they were catching up.

'Head for the Tube!'

They were seconds away, just-

'Got you!'

Stuart and Sarah Jane were wrestled to the ground by two...different officers?

The officers grabbed their hands, and cuffed them.

'15 dead? It's Warrington all over again - kids and everything,' a female voice said, dripping with disgust. 'Did you think you were being funny?'


	3. Three

Stuart and Sarah Jane sat opposite the two arresting officers, DC Jean Harrison, and DCI Mike Preston, in the interview room.

The balding Preston wore his best stern glare, while the middle-aged Harrison sat rather oddly at ease - the same couldn't be said about her tight bun of curly blonde hair, though.

Stuart's arms were folded, while Sarah Jane's rested on her lap.

'My, my. An officer on the other side of the law - there's something new,' sniped Preston.

'If we'd known about it,' said Stuart. 'We'd have warned others.'

Preston leaned forward.

'That's what happened with Warrington, and the likes. Short or no notice at all.'

Sarah Jane looked at him.

'We left because we thought something bad was going to happen. We-'

'Someone was trying to kill us,' Stuart said, without thinking.

Preston sat back, scoffing.

'Looks like you got there first,' he sneered. 'Now. We'd like you to take a look at these images from CCTV.'

Harrison placed several stills on the desk. Stuart and Sarah Jane looked, frowning.

'At 11.15am, you both entered the café, with Milligan carrying a black duffel bag, presumably containing the explosive device,' said Harrison.

Stuart looked at her.

'We were at the other side of town, I-'

'These seem to say otherwise, Milligan,' Harrison said, all earlier signs of disgust gone from her voice.

Sarah Jane sat up, looking at both officers.

'Look, I remember Warrington like it was yesterday. Violence like that has no place in this world.'

Preston scoffed.

'You'd like me to believe a word of that, coming from you?'

Stuart folded his arms.

'Would you believe it if I, a fellow officer, said it?'

Preston looked at him.

'Before today...yeah.'

He looked at the images for a moment, then at Harrison.

'Ah, I've just realised. We're...missing the _vital_ CCTV image, Jean. Could you-'

'Sure,' she replied, standing up.

The door snapped shut behind her. Preston leaned in.

'Bloody kids - maybe some of our colleagues' kids - and you're denying that's you?'

Stuart and Sarah Jane looked at the image again. Those damn shapeshifters. Sarah Jane looked at Preston.

'I have a son, officer. Believe me, it would _devastate_ me, if I lost him in something as horrific as this.'

Preston just scoffed.

'Take another look, both of you-' he said, to which they did. '-and tell me that's-'

Stuart and Sarah Jane recoiled, as a long blade sliced through Preston's throat like a hot knife through butter. Stark gagging and twitching sounded - then the blade slid out, and Preston stilled.

Harrison bolted for the door, and Stuart shot up after her.

'Stuart!'

'Come on!'

They ran, Stuart a little ahead.

Several officers stepped out-

'MOVE!'

Harrison sprinted from the exit, and up the footpath - Stuart closely behind.

As he gathered speed, Sarah Jane slowed down, panting.

Among the barrage of people, Stuart saw Harrison.

BANG!

He spied the body on the ground - but knew he had to go on.

BANG!

Damn it - Stuart stumbled, tripping over a second one. He caught Harrison head into a supermarket, and pushed himself towards it.

Wading through the bustling crowd of shoppers, he stopped.

Where was it?

A blur of red, blue, and the rest of the spectrum, surrounded him - but no distinct curly blonde bun.

Damn it.

Stuart took out his phone, and dialled for Sarah Jane.

'It got away.'

'Where are you?'

'The bloody supermarket,' Stuart replied, sighing. 'What about you?'

'Near the bus stop, but-'

'Meet me back at your house as soon as - I've got an idea.'

'Okay.'

Stuart hung up.

Time to do a bit of shopping, for these bastards were going down.


	4. Four

Fifteen minutes later, Stuart strode up the driveway of number thirteen, spray bottle brimming with antifreeze in hand. As he approached the house, the front door opened, and Sarah Jane appeared.

Nice bloody try, Stuart thought.

'My, you were quick,' said Stuart, pseudo-surprised. ' All right, here's-'

Sarah Jane smiled - yep, it was _that_ smile.

The familiar brown scaly figure appeared, and bolted into the house.

This time, Stuart thought, starting after it.

He caught the tail-end of it vanish into the living room. As he entered and aimed, it stumbled and screeched, dodging each vicious spray of its kryptonite. It bound out of the living room, and into the kitchen.

Ha - cornered!

He had it now. He-

Stuart jarred.

He gasped, feeling the hot blade slide through him.

The cornered shapeshifter - no.

'An - Andrea?'

She nodded at the other one, which wrenched the blade out, and Stuart hit the floor like a ragdoll, as did the spray bottle.

Andrea lifted the bottle.

'Oh, my dear Stuart, what were you going to do with this?' she said, then tipped it on the floor. 'Kill me...again?'

'Nice...try,' he wheezed.

Andrea studied him head to toe.

'Goodbye, Stuart.'

Blue light shrouded both shapeshifters, and they vanished.

Stuart could see the front door. So close, but so far. One almighty push, then a cry of pain. A little closer to the door, but also to death.

Sarah Jane walked up her driveway, checking her mobile again.

Perhaps Stuart wasn't here yet, she thought.

She headed for the front door, pushing it open.

No.

'Stuart?'

He was still, almost as though he was asleep, his hand stretched towards the door. From the living room, Sarah Jane saw a messy trail of blood lead to where to he lay.

She knelt before him, and looked, as tears streamed down her face.

'Oh, Stuart.'

**The End**


End file.
